KARMA - nobody but you yourself is in control of your fate

neutral_onliner SG

Kamma is a Pali word meaning action. It is
called Karma in Sanskrit. In its general sense
Kamma means all good and bad actions. It
covers all kinds of intentional actions whether
mental, verbal or physical thoughts, words and
deeds. In its ultimate sense Kamma means all
moral and immoral volitions.

The Buddha says:

Mental volition, O Bhikkhus, is what I call
action (Kamma). Having volition, one acts by
body, speech and thought.
Anguttara Nikaya, Vol. III, Pg 415

Kamma is neither fatalism nor a doctrine of
predetermination. The past influences the
present but does not dominate it, for Kamma
is past as well as present. The past and
present influence the future. The past is
a background against which life goes on
from moment to moment. The future is
yet to be. Only present moment exists
and the responsibility of using the present
moment for good or for ill lies with each
individual.

neutral_onliner SG

Everything that comes to us is right. When
anything pleasant comes to us and makes us
happy, we may be sure that our Kamma has
come to show us what we have done is right.

When anything unpleasant comes to us, hurts
us, or makes us unhappy, our Kamma has come
to show us our mistake. We must never forget
that Kamma is always just. It neither loves nor
hates, neither rewards nor punishes. It is never
angry, never pleased. It is simply the law of
cause and effect.

Kamma knows nothing about us. Does fire
know us when it burns us? No, it is the nature
of fire to burn, to give out heat. If we use it
properly it gives us light, cooks our food for us
or burns anything we wish to get rid of, but if
we use it wrongly it burns us and our property.
Its work is to burn and our job is to use it in
the right way.We are foolish if we
grow angry and blame it when it burns
us because we have made a mistake.

casino_king SG

How can an inherently empty being be in control of anything?

neutral_onliner SG

What is the cause of the inequalities that
exist in the world? Buddhists cannot believe
that this variation is the result of blind chance.
Science itself is indeed all against the theory of
Chance. In the world of the scientist all works
in accordance with the laws of cause and effect.
Neither can Buddhists believe that these
inequalities of the world are due to a God-Creator.

One of the three divergent views that prevailed
at the time of the Buddha was:

Whatsoever happiness or pain or neutral feeling
the person experiences all that is due to the
creation of a Supreme Deity.
Anguttara Nikaya, Vol. I, Pg 158

Commenting on this fatalistic view the Buddha
said:

So, then, owing to the creation of a Supreme
Deity men will become murderers, thieves, unchaste,
liars, slanderers, abusive, babblers, covetous,
malicious, and perverse in view. Thus for
those who fall back on the creation of a God
as the essential reason, there is neither the desire
to do, nor necessity to do this deed or abstain
from that deed.
ibid

Referring to the naked ascetics who practised
self-mortification, the Buddha said:

If, O Bhikkhus, beings experience pain and
happiness as the result of Gods creation, then
certainly these naked ascetics must have been
created by a wicked God, since they are at
present experiencing such terrible pain.
Devadaha Sutta, No 101
Majjhima Nikaya, Vol. II, Pg 222

According to Buddhism the inequalities that
exist in the world are due, to some extent, to
heredity and environment and to a greater extent,
to a cause or causes (Kamma) which are
not only present but proximate or remote past.
Man himself is responsible for his
own happiness and misery. He creates his own
heaven and hell. He is master of his own
destiny, child of his past and parent of his future.

neutral_onliner SG

Kamma, as has been stated above, is not fate,
is not irrevocable destiny. Nor is one bound to
reap all that one has sown in just proportion.
The actions (Kamma) of men are generally not
absolutely irrevocable; and only a few of them
are so.

If, for example, one fires off a bullet out
of a rifle, one cannot call it back or turn it
aside from its mark. But, if instead of a lead or
iron ball through the air, it is an ivory ball on a
smooth green board that one sets moving with
a billiard cue, one can send after it and at it,
another ball in the same way, and change its
course.

Not only that, if one is quick enough, and
one has not given it too great an impetus, one
might even get round to the other side of the
billiard table, and send against it a ball which
would meet it straight in the line of its course
and bring it to a stop on the spot. With ones
later action with the cue, one modifies, or even
in favourable circumstances, entirely
neutralizes ones earlier action.

neutral_onliner SG

It is much the same way that Kamma operates
in the broad stream of general life. There
too ones action (Kamma) of a later day may
modify the effects of ones action (Kamma) of
a former day. If this were not so, what possibility
would there ever be of a mans getting
free from all Kamma for ever. It would be perpetually
self-continuing energy that could never
come to an end.

Man has, therefore, a certain amount of free
will and there is almost every possibility to
mould his life or to modify his actions. Even
a most vicious person can by his own free will
and effort become the most virtuous person.
One may at any moment change for the better
or for the worse. But everything in the
world including man himself is dependent on
conditions and without conditions nothing
whatsoever can arise or enter into existence.
Man therefore has only a certain amount of
free will and not absolute free will.

According to Buddhist philosophy, everything, mental or
physical, arises in accordance with the laws and
conditions. If it were not so, there would reign
chaos and blind chance. Such a thing, however,
is impossible, and if it would be otherwise, all
laws of nature which modern science has discovered
would be powerless.

neutral_onliner SG

The real, essential nature of action (Kamma)
of man is mental. When a given thought has
arisen in ones mind a number of times, there
is a definite tendency to recurrence of that
thought. When a given act has been performed
a number of times, there is a definite tendency
to the repetition of the act. Thus, each act,
mental or physical, tends to constantly produce
its like, and be in turn produced.

If a man thinks a good thought, speaks a good word,
does a good deed, the effect upon him is to
increase the tendencies to goodness present in
him, is to make him a better man.

If, on the contrary, he does a bad deed in
thought, in speech or in action, he has
strengthened in himself his bad tendencies, he
has made himself a worse man. Having become
a worse man, he will gravitate to the company
of worse men in the future, and incur all the
unhappiness of varying kinds that attends life
in such company.

On the other hand, the man of a character that is continually growing better,
will naturally tend to the companionship of
the good, and enjoy all the pleasantness and
comforts and freedom from the ruder shocks of
human life which such society connotes.

neutral_onliner SG

The more we understand the law of Kamma
the more we see how careful we must be of our
acts, words and thoughts, and how responsible
we are to our fellow beings. Living in the light
of this knowledge, we learn certain lessons from
the doctrine of Kamma.

1. PATIENCE

Knowing that the Law is our great helper if we
live by it, and that no harm can come to us if
we work with it, knowing also it blesses us just
at the right time, we learn the grand lesson of
patience, not to get excited, and that impatience
is a check to progress. In suffering, we
know that we are paying a debt, and we learn,
if we are wise, not to create more suffering for
the future. In rejoicing, we are thankful for its
sweetness, and learn, if we are wise, to be still
better. Patience brings forth peace, success,
happiness and security.

2. CONFIDENCE

The law being just, perfect, it is not possible for
an understanding person to be uneasy about it.
If we are uneasy and have no confidence, it
shows clearly that we have not grasped the
reality of the law. We are really quite safe beneath
its wings, and there is nothing to fear in
all the wide universe except our own misdeeds.
The Law makes man stand on his own feet and
rouses his self-confidence.
Confidence strengthens, or rather, deepens
our peace and happiness and make us comfortable,
courageous; wherever we go the Law is
our protector.

3. SELF-RELIANCE

As we in the past have caused ourselves to be
what we now are, so by what we do now will
our future be determined. A knowledge of this
fact and that the glory of the future is limitless,
gives us great self-reliance, and takes away
that tendency to appeal for external help, which
is really no help at all. Purity and impurity
belong to oneself, no one can purify another says
the Buddha.

4. RESTRAINT

Naturally, if we realise that the evil we do will
return to strike us, we shall be very careful lest
we do or say or think something that is not
good, pure and true. Knowledge of Kamma will
restrain us from wrongdoing for others sakes
as well as for our own.

5. POWER

The more we make the doctrine of Kamma a
part of our lives, the more power we gain, not
only to direct our future, but to help our fellow
beings more effectively. The practice of
good Kamma, when fully developed, will enable
us to overcome evil and limitations, and
destroy all the fetters that keep us from our
goal, Nibbana.

neutral_onliner SG

To sum it up...

There is no one that decides the "rewards and punishments" for what we do. We create the causes of our actions, and we experience their results. We are responsible for our own experience. The Buddha discovered the law of Karma - He did not create it. (No one created it.) By teaching us the law of Karma, the Buddha shows us how to work within the functioning of cause and effect in order to attain True Happiness and avoid pain.

Karma is not inflexibly fixed - it does not mean fate or predetermination. Intentional actions at some time or other produce their effects when favoring conditions exist. Though people in their present lives are experiencing the effects of their past actions (Karma), it is possible to change, reduce or increase the effects of these past actions through present actions, which can affect the immediate future and future lives. Understanding the law of Karma helps one realize that we are whatever we make ourselves to be. We are entirely responsible for our destiny.

The Buddha pointed out that no God or priest nor any other kind of being has the power to interfere in the working out of someone else's Kamma. Buddhism, therefore, teaches the individual to take full responsibility for themselves. For example, if you want to be wealthy then be trustworthy, diligent and frugal,.There is no God to ask favours from, or to put it another way, there is no corruption possible in the workings of Kamma.

Thnks for reading Cool

An Eternal Now SG

As you know, in Buddhism everyone is empty of Self and the so-called Self can be broken down into 5 components, that which we call the 5 Skhandas.

In particular, it is Volition of the 5 Skhandas that causes Karma.

"Mere suffering is, not any sufferer is found
The deeds exist, but no performer of the deeds:
Nibbana is, but not the man that enters it,
The path is, but no wanderer is to be seen.

No doer of the deeds is found,
No one who ever reaps their fruits,
Empty phenomena roll on,
This view alone is right and true.

No god, no Brahma, may be called,
The maker of this wheel of life,
Empty phenomena roll on,
Dependent on conditions all."

- Visuddhimagga XVI 90

Of course it doesn't mean there is no karma, just that it is not the 'self' that receives karma and the 'self' that creates karma.

But consciousness is propelled by causes and conditions into manifestation (karma). Karmic seeds latent in the 8th consciousness will ripen when the conditions are met.

BUT... when we talk about conventional reality, we can say "KARMA - nobody but you yourself is in control of your fate".

neutral_onliner SG

I am ignorant of Buddhism and speak under correction, and merely in order the better to describe my general point of view; but as apprehend the Buddhistic doctrine of karma, I agree in principle with that.

- William James (I842-I9I0) American philosopher and psychologis

sinweiy SG

also because the being is too attached to an egolistic 'self', and didn't realised "inherently emptiness", that hence karma is still effective.

/\

An Eternal Now SG

When the 'Self' dissolves, volition is transform into wisdom.

sinweiy SG

Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
When the 'Self' dissolves, volition is transform into wisdom.

...and karma power(ye li) become will/vow power(yuan li).

Cool
/\

neutral_onliner SG

-deleted-

Reason:Too advance liao Cool

neutral_onliner SG

To understand the law of kamma is to realize that we ourselves are responsible for our own happiness and our own misery. We are the architects of our kamma. Buddhism explains that man has every possibility to mould his own kamma and thereby influence the direction of his life. On the other hand, a man is not a complete prisoner for his own actions; he is not a slave of his kamma. Nor is man mere machine that automatically releases instinctive forces that enslave him. Nor is man mere a product of nature.

Man has within himself the strength and the ability to change his kamma. His mind is mightier than his kamma and so the law of kamma can be made to serve him. Man does not have to give up his hope and effort in order to surrender himself to his own kammic force. To off-set the reaction of his bad kamma that he has accumulated previously, he has to do more meritorious deeds and to purify his mind rather than by praying, worshipping, performing rites or torturing his physical body in order to overcome his karmic effects.

Therefore, man can overcome the effect of his evil deeds if he acts wisely by leading a noble life. Man must use the material with which he is endowed to promote his ideal. The cards in the game of life are within us. We do not select them. They are traced to our past kamma; but we can call as we please, do what suits us and as we play, we either gain or lose. Kamma is equated to the action of men. This action also creates some karmic results.

'There is no place to hide in order to escape from kammic results.

-Buddha
Dhammapada 127

Herzog_Zwei SG

'There is no place to hide in order to escape from kammic results.

-Buddha
Dhammapada 127

If you don't exist, can you have karma?

neutral_onliner SG

can read explanation fm sinweiy

Buddhism does not totally deny the existence of a personality in an empirical sense. It denies, in an ultimate sense, an identical being of a permanent entity, but it does not deny a continuity in process. The Buddhist philosophical term for an individual in santati, - that is, a flux or continuity. Cool

neutral_onliner SG

Each and every action carried out without any purposeful intention, cannot become a Kusala-Kamma (skillful action) or Akusala-Kamma (unskillful action). That is why the Buddha interprets kamma as volitional activites. That means, whatever good and bad deeds we commit ourselves without any purposeful intention, are not strong enough to be carried forward to our next life. However, ignorance of the nature of the good and bad effect of the kamma is not an excuse to justify or avoid the karmic results if they were committed intentionally.

A small child or an ignorant man may commit many evil deeds. Since they commit such deeds with intention to harm or injure, it is difficult to say that they are free form the karmic results. If that child touches a burning iron-rod the heat element does not spare the child without burning his fingers. The karmic energy also works exactly in the same manner. Karmic energy is unbiased; it is like energy of gravity. The radical transformations in the characters of Angulimala and Asoka illustrate mans potential to gain control over his kammic force.

Although Buddhism says that man can eventually control his kammic force, it does not state that everything is due to kamma. Buddhism does not ignore the role played by other forces of nature. According to Buddhism there are five orders or processes of natural laws (niyama) which operate in the physical and mental worlds:

1. Seasonal laws (utu niyama) physical inorganic order e.g., seasonal phenomena of winds and rains, etc.

2. The biological law (bija niyama) relating to seasonal changes etc.,

3. The kammic law (kamma niyama) relating to moral causation or the order of act and result,

4. Natural phenomena (Dhamma niyama) relating to electrical forces, movement of tides etc., and

5. Psychological laws (citta niyama) which govern the processes of consciousness.Thus kamma is considered only as one of the five natural laws that account for the diversity in this world.

yamizi SG

Hi neutral_onliner,

Good reads that you'd posted but I find that the topic is a little misleading. There's no fate to speak of in Buddhism in the first place but rather conditioned will.

The below is quoted from "All About Buddhism" by Ven S Dhammika

28 At this point it is important to understand the difference between determining factors and conditioning factors. If we say that our past actions determine our present and that our present actions determine our future, this would mean that our whole life was fixed and predestined, and we would not be free to initiate or change anything. Kamm does not determine us. Our past actions condition our present, which in turn conditions our future, that is to say, our actions have an influence to a greater or lesser degree, and thus there is room to exercise will and initiate change. The Kammic Law therefore is about tendencies rather than inevitable and unchangeable consequences. Thus we can say that Buddhism teachers neither determinism (niyativada) nor absolute free-will (attakiriyavada), but rather, conditioned will.

The Law of Kamma conditions three things - whether or not we will be reborn, which of the realms of existence we will be reborn into, and what kind of experience we will have. We will examine each of these three things.